Ch.100100. Seo Hyo-ju

Seo Hyo-joo liked Kim Su-hyun.

She never thought she would fall for a man like him.

A man who was oblivious, socially awkward, and childishly did whatever he wanted had never been a consideration for her.

In reality, there were quite a few wealthy men who behaved like Kim Su-hyun.

People who grew up wanting for nothing.

People who faced no consequences for their mistakes, had everything resolved for them, and thoughtlessly blurted out whatever came to mind regardless of appropriateness.

In fact, Seo Hyo-joo had always despised such men.

Even when they were kind and treated her well, she barely gave them attention, yet they acted as if their behavior was only natural—it was revolting.

Of course, there were some differences when comparing Kim Su-hyun to those men.

His comments showed a simple lack of awareness.

After speaking, he would check if what he said was appropriate, and if she laughed, he would wonder if he had done something wrong—it seemed like he genuinely didn’t know better.

He wasn’t the same type; he was more of what people would call “a good kid at heart.”

But this good man was also handsome and capable.

When Seo Hyo-joo spoke of a capable man, it wasn’t just empty words.

For someone to appear capable before Seo Hyo-joo, who had everything, required extraordinary confidence.

He spoke his mind and acted as he pleased.

Not like a reckless person, but someone with firm convictions.

Even his lack of interest in her messages, focusing instead on his own tasks, should have crushed her pride, but it only sparked her competitive spirit.

For the first time, she understood why those cringe-worthy drama tropes were always so popular and effective.

The saying that they worked because of the leads’ good looks was half true, and the curiosity about what lay beneath the surface accounted for the other half.

Above all, this man’s indifference was clearly genuine, and as more people became interested in Kim Su-hyun, her competitive spirit grew.

It was unthinkable that the great Seo Hyo-joo couldn’t have what she wanted.

In a way, that mindset was probably the biggest factor.

Most importantly, though awkward at it, she wasn’t the type to give up without trying.

For all these mixed reasons, Seo Hyo-joo found herself actively pursuing a man for the first time in her life.

“Um… it’s a bit sudden, but… let’s do that.”

The first time might be uncomfortable and awkward, but speaking casually eliminated psychological distance more than expected.

That seemed true for both Kim Su-hyun and Seo Hyo-joo.

“Su-hyun oppa. Remember I said I had content in mind? Want to go to a dungeon with me?”

“A dungeon?”

———————–

“Don’t you think it would be fun to edit different perspectives for your channel and mine?”

“Hmm. Just the two of us?”

“Yes. But you should be a healer instead of using your sword. No one in Korea has attempted an A-rank dungeon with just two people yet. I’ve actually been planning this for a while but couldn’t find a suitable healer. After seeing your video yesterday, I immediately thought of you… It’s just a suggestion, so feel free to decline if you’re uncomfortable.”

Seo Hyo-joo speaking casually changed her image somehow.

Just as the atmosphere when texting her differed from her actual self, I realized this must be the real Seo Hyo-joo with people she was close to.

She was cute.

I had thought her cold, haughty image suited her, but this friendly, accommodating side also revealed her charm.

Her face did most of the work, but having a woman like Seo Hyo-joo consider my feelings was quite flattering from a man’s perspective.

“But can you actually do it?”

That didn’t mean I was going to be smitten and giggle like a fool, so I asked what I was curious about.

Going into a dungeon together and creating YouTube content sounded good, but the issue was that A-rank dungeons were challenging even with a full party, hence their reputation as ultimate dungeons.

There was talk about S-rank dungeons, but those were for top-tier hunters in parties of about 20 people.

In reality, A-, A, and A+ rank dungeons were used as benchmarks for hunters’ abilities.

Clearing an A-rank dungeon with just two people?

I thought I could handle it, but could it be done with Seo Hyo-joo while I only provided healing?

Moreover, Seo Hyo-joo didn’t even know the exact effects of my holy magic.

It was a proposal that required confidence that she could handle most of it with just minimal healing support.

That’s why I asked, but it seemed I had wounded her pride.

“Of course I can. Actually, I’ve already cleared an A- rank dungeon solo. I’ve been analyzing the A-rank too, and theoretically, it might be possible alone… but it’s risky, so I haven’t tried yet. With you, Su-hyun oppa, it’s definitely doable.”

“You’re a summoner, right?”

“Yes.”

“Sounds fun. When should we go?”

Not knowing Seo Hyo-joo’s exact level or specs, it wasn’t my place to judge, but with S-rank abilities and a decent level, soloing an A-rank dungeon as a summoner wasn’t particularly difficult.

When I first chose my SSS+ ability in the Rift Dimension, I had considered becoming a summoner—it was the quintessential “click” ability.

Summoners don’t have to fight directly while using mana, and they’re late-game oriented with overwhelming destructive power and influence in the later stages.

Summoners are especially valuable on farms.

They can summon extra slaves beyond the limit, and depending on their abilities, these summons can even outperform regular slaves.

If I ever get to choose another SSS+ ability, I’d pick summoner mid-game, so this was a chance to see what I was missing.

Plus, a summoner would make for good YouTube content.

“We can go whenever you’re free, oppa. I’m available anytime.”

“Hmm. How about sometime this week? I should visit a dungeon soon anyway.”

“Of course. I’m even free tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow? Why not go right now?”

She leaned toward me, resting her chin on her hands, and I felt more comfortable as I jokingly asked.

Seo Hyo-joo laughed and played along.

“Now? Should we? We just ate, so it could help with digestion?”

After laughing, joking, and chatting, we found ourselves standing in front of an actual A-rank dungeon.

Seo Hyo-joo was quite the go-getter.

She had many interests and excellent follow-through.

“Will we be okay?”

“Let’s go. If things get bad, I’ll finish it.”

But she was also concerned about the risks.

This wasn’t cowardice, just a normal human reaction.

While she could handle financial risks with her wealth, risking one’s life, even slightly, was a burden not easily undertaken.

I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

While this might be a challenge for Seo Hyo-joo, for me—having defeated a Corrupted Ogre and obtained the [Corrupted Ring]—it was merely a post-meal stroll.

I could support her as a healer and step in if real danger arose, playing the hero. That would make for good footage too.

Looking at Seo Hyo-joo’s fair profile, I noticed her ears and neck had turned red.

“Are you sick?”

“No…”

“Ah.”

Before entering the dungeon, I stopped and seriously asked Seo Hyo-joo:

“By the way, what’s the usual cut for healers in loot distribution?”

“…Pfft. Really. You’re so unpredictable.”

Best to clarify these things upfront.

I didn’t want to get taken advantage of just because she was pretty.

Sure, one A-rank dungeon might not yield much, but you never know.

If we happened to find a lottery-tier item, things could get awkward.

“50-50. And you get first pick of items. We’ll upload the videos at the same time.”

After agreeing, we entered the dungeon.

“Toto’s going to be mad at me.”

“Who’s Toto?”

“My cat. He hates when I stay out overnight.”

As she entered with a worried expression, I said:

“We just need to get back before sunrise.”

And true to my word, we emerged from the dungeon before dawn.

—————————

“Oppa. Did you sleep with her?”

“Are you crazy?”

“How did you seduce her? I didn’t think Hyo-joo unnie would fall for someone like you.”

“Sigh.”

When I got home at dawn, Kim Su-jung was watching TV and bombarded me with questions.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”

She used to sleep at midnight on the farm, so why was she drinking beer with chicken at 5 AM?

“It’s vacation—how can I sleep? I get plenty of sleep on the farm anyway, so I should rest differently now. But seriously, what were you doing out until this hour? Wow. Is Hyo-joo unnie going to be my new sister-in-law?”

I didn’t respond and went to my room.

It was a situation that could cause misunderstandings.

Going out just for a meal but not returning until late at night was one thing.

But staying out past midnight and returning just before dawn—that painted a pretty clear picture of what might have happened.

I didn’t bother explaining.

It had been an interesting experience.

Being a healer in a dungeon wasn’t bad at all.